The Scarlet Wind
by Isabella387
Summary: Ten years have come and gone since Celeste left Hanschen and Ernst but new trials await her and her family. A story of family, friends, religion, and doing whats right in the face of danger. Currently on Hiatus Hernst Melchior/OC
1. Her Story

IM ! Well, A promise IS a promise after all. After a breif Murder Mystery detour to the Penguins of Madagascar section (though not for the rather intelligent conversation mind you) I have returned victorious with new writing prowess. I have missed this section quite alot and am happy to be back!

And now, for your view pleasure I present to you the sequel to the viewer aclaimed Scarlet Line... *drum roll* SCARLET WIND!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Spring Awakening

Other Disclaimer: IF YOU HAVE NOT READ SCARLET LINE READ THAT FIRST OR YOU WILL BE HOPELESSLY CONFUSED!

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Celeste's POV

I looked down my little brown journal once more. I gazed at the dress in the picture and thought back to what it was in real life. A white gown decked in lace, high collar, and a sash of scarlet. I smiled at the thought, but then as I looked down at the book my heart sank again as my mind wandered back to Priapia and the life I had before now. Blond hair and amber eyes, black hair and blue eyes, a child, a princess and a line of scarlet. I shook my head and blew out the oil lamp on the side table.

I looked over to the couch where my little Wendla was sleeping, her arm wrapped tightly around her blanket. Her messy brown hair that resembled her father's lay sprawled on the couch cushions. Her green eyes remained closed as air passed between her small pink lips like a princess locked in an ageless sleep. I smiled at her and placed the book in the drawer. As I went to pick her up Melchior came quietly into the room. I smiled at him as well.

"You look tired," He whispered to me as he picked up Wendla from the couch and began to walk up the stairs. Melchior and I lived in what used to be his parents house; I had been there many times before when I had just moved here, before… everything. He had graduated from the reformation school and vowed to never go back. Upon his final return home, his parents gave us the house and he took up a job at the school as a teacher. It suited him. In the time we had been married, which was nearing eight years, he had taught me so much. After two years of lessons I was able to read _Ursule Mirouet _by the time our wedding day came. Melchior laid Wendla in her bed, pulled the covers up around her neck and kissed her cheek tenderly. I smiled again. Wendla was three now; and a vision of loveliness. She looked so much like Melchior; brown curly hair and always questioning green eyes. But she was an adventurer. She was always running around, getting her dress dirty, curious about this, that and the other thing. But she was shy around strangers for some reason.

"You should go to bed," Melchior whispered to me. I touched his cheek.

"I still have to say goodnight to Moritz." Melchior nodded and followed me down the hall to what had been his old room. Moritz, our Moritz, was now seven. He looked almost nothing like Melchior. He had deep blue eyes that when they weren't looking at the sky they were fixated in a book. His short cropped brown hair that couldn't be tamed by any brush perpetually stuck up in the front of his forehead as if a cow had taken a big lick of it. He was quite the avid reader and a dreamer. Melchior made sure that Moritz would never fall as his name sake had done. We both walked into his room and saw his light still on. His nose buried in another book. I laughed and he looked up.

"What on earth are you reading at this hour?" I asked amazed, he gave me a goofy smile and proudly held up a copy of _The Odyssey_.

"It's really good, Mama," He said with another smile. I saw the book and my mind flashed back to the Rilow estate, to a blond boy sitting at a table, his feet up, his nose buried in the same book. I mentally shook the memory from my mind. I walked over to my son and plucked the book out of his hand. He groaned in disappointment. Melchi laughed.

"You can read tomorrow, bed time." I said. Melchi came to kiss Moritz on the head and walked out of the room. I sat down on Moritz's bed and fumbled with the book, "Now, how many books have you read this week?" I asked him before setting the large book on the bedside table and pulled the covers up around his face.

"Just three, Mama."  
"Just three? Mon Deu! Three is quite a lot for such a young boy," I said in mock surprise, teasing him.

"I am not that young! I'm going to be eight in September!" He said crossing his arms slumping into his overstuffed pillow. I smiled and attempted to smooth his hair back, which popped back into its former position as soon as my hand left his head, and kissed his forehead.

"You're right, you're growing into the fine young adult, and soon you'll be going off to University!" I said with a sly smile. He looked off to the side with a disgusted face.

"Well… I don't know if I'm that old," he said glancing back at me. I pulled the covers up around his neck as he snuggled back down into them.

"Of course not, sweetheart," I kissed his forehead again, "But you really should be getting to sleep. You have school tomorrow." He once more made that disgusted face.

"Wendla doesn't have to go!" He whined.

"Oh she will in good time, but right now, its bed time."

"Fine," He said with a yawn. I turned off the oil lamp on his bedside table and walked to the door. I glanced back at him once more before closing the door behind me. I walked down the hallway, the floor creaking under every step I took. At the end of the hall was our room, Melchior's and mine. I opened the door and flopped down onto the bed and covered my face with a pillow.

"Tired?" Melchior asked with a laugh as he pulled me close to him. I did not let the pillow go.

"Mfff, nnnnn, sssssslppp" I said into the pillow.

"What was that? I can't hear you."

"I need sleep!" I said again with a tired laugh as I placed the pillow back under my head. Wendla had finally gotten used to sleeping around eight hours a night which was heaven for me, considering I still had to take her to work every day until she was old enough to go to school. Melchior wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me effortlessly closer to him.

"Are you sure about that?" He whispered into my ear kissing my neck. I turned over to face him and kissed him gently.

"I don't know," I said coyly, "What did you have in mind?" With that he kissed me passionately. Getting the gist of his argument a reached over and turned out the lamp light by my bed.

The next morning I was running up the hill to the Rilow estate, Wendla in my arms and for the life of me I could not get her to stop playing with my hair. On one arm I held a basket that was overflowing with bobbins, thread, lace, and other such things. Wendla gave a large tug on my hair once more. I gently nudged her hand away from my head again as I approached the old wooden door of the Rilow estate. My mother answered the door.

"Vous êtes en retard," She said taking Wendla from my arms. I nodded and headed straight back to the library. As I opened the door I saw Frau Rilow, Frau Robel, and Frau Diebvonliebe, Thea's mother, putting pins onto a dress that a young girl was wearing. Frau Diebvonliebe was the finest seamstress in the town and had recently taken me as her apprentice.

"No, no, no!" Frau Robel said frustrated pulling on of the pins out by the waist, "Her waist looks far too big here!" She pulled the fabric tighter and stuck the pin back in.

"OW!" the girl wearing the dress said with a sharp shriek.

"Much better," Frau Robel said. Frau Diebvonliebe and Frau Rilow looked at each other and chuckled a bit at their friend's bossiness. Suddenly Frau Robel looked up and was the first one to spot me, "Oh, Celeste you're finally here." She said in an almost huffy tone. Frau Diebvonliebe turned to face me.

"Oh good, you brought the supplies I asked for," She said taking the basket from my arms. Frau Diebvonliebe was a kind woman. She had brown hair like Thea's and sparkling green eyes. Her hands I

"Thank god," The girl muttered as she turned to face me. She was seventeen with long blond hair that was currently not pinned up into a mess of swirling braids or styled into the tight ringlet curls that she wore as a child. She had bright blue eyes and the calm disposition of her mother, the strong will of her father, and her brother's nose. I smiled at her.

"Hello Amalie," I said smiling. I took the pin that Frau Robel had frantically attached out of Amalie's side. Over the years she had grown into a fine young woman. I took care of her as an older sister, just as I had promised… him… all those years ago. Although she was still fairly young in my eyes, she was engaged to Thea's younger brother Max. But I made sure this time that Amalie agreed to the engagement rather than have her forced into it. I readjusted it to make the waist how Amalie had originally wanted it. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Frau Robel pull out the extra lace that Frau Diebvonliebe had asked me to bring.

"What is this, Erika? You can't possibly want _more_ lace on that thing." Frau Robel said in an annoyed tone.

"Well excuse me, _Gisela,_ I wasn't aware that you knew more about being a seamstress than I did." Frau Diebvonliebe said snatching back the lace.

"She's my daughter," Frau Rilow said calmly, "I think I can tell when enough lace is enough." And with that the three women launched into a full out argument about Amalie's wedding dress. I looked at Amalie and pointed at the three other women.

"Have they been doing this all day?" I asked quietly. Amalie pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You have no idea." She replied, "I'm going to get a glass of water," She said to the three women, but her announcement when unnoticed. She nodded her head to the door. I helped her off of the settee and walked with her out of the room shutting the door quietly behind us. As soon as I shut the doors Amalie let out a sigh of relief.

"That bad?" I asked. She nodded.

"The wedding is three months away and they're still arguing over the dress." She said fumbling with the key that hung around her neck by an old chain.

"And that?" I asked pointing to the key. She looked down at the necklace in surprise. Fiddling with the key had become more a subconscious action rather than an actual act. She laughed a bit.

"Frau Robel doesn't want me to wear it," I laughed, since that night so long ago Frau Robel had become more of an over obsessive aunt rather than a family friend. She treated Amalie like her own child, "My mother doesn't really want me to wear it either. She said on such a happy day we shouldn't be reminded of what happened." I nodded. Although I knew by now that all Frau Rilow wanted was for her children to be happy and that she missed him terribly every day. Frau Robel on the other hand had almost completely forgotten about her son, leaving the room every time his name was mentioned. Her eyes always looked so cold.

"Do you want to wear it?" I asked calmly. She nodded.

"It's all I have left of him. You know my father got rid of all of his stuff after he left. I can hardly remember what he looks like now." She paused for a moment, "Can you tell me again?" She asked sitting on the steps. Although she was now seventeen she still held that childlike wonder that I always remembered. I sat on the steps with her and she rested her head on my knees. I smoothed her hair with my hand and sat thinking for a while.

"He was tall, taller than me and you. He could easily pick you up if you ever asked. He had blond hair like yours and the same nose… He would always make sure you were taken care of. He had amber eyes and a well set jaw. He was brave and kind and would fight for anything he loved."

"And why did he leave?" I took a deep breath making sure I had control of my emotions before I continued.

"He had no other choice; he was going to lose the one he loved. But he misses you every day and if he had been given the choice between leaving his home and you for good and staying here, I know that he would have stayed here." Amalie sighed again as she began playing with her necklace again. Suddenly I heard the doors to the library fly open.

"Amalie?" I hear Frau Rilow call, "Amalie, come here we need to finish fixing your dress." Amalie raised her head and looked at me with those questioning blue eyes of hers.

"Come on," I said, "The sooner you go, the sooner you get it over with." She groaned in annoyance but got up to go to her mother anyway. I followed her back into the lion's cage, although my mind was someplace else, someplace much greener, someplace with white tents.

I came home that night exhausted. Frau Robel and Frau Diebvonliebe were relentless. That one said it wasn't the right color, the other one said it didn't fit right, too much lace, not enough lace, put the sash higher, put the sash lower, it never stopped. I held Wendla's hand as we walked back down the street. The wind was calm that night and the air was warm. I took a deep breath of the fresh August air and remembered what it had felt like all those years ago, the night I came back. I was shocked out of my memories by the sound of footsteps coming down the street. I felt a tug at my skirt as Wendla let go of my hand to hide behind it. I opened my eyes to see two men coming down the street. One of them was tall and had glasses on, the other one was shorter and a bit rounder. They were both dressed in uniforms. I smiled at them, since my return to the town I had gotten to know them quite well.

"Good evening, Celeste," The tall one offered.

"Good evening Georg, Otto," I said with a curt nod. Otto was the first of the two to see Wendla hiding behind my skirt, he knelt down to her level so she could see him better.

"Is that Miss Wendla hiding back there?" Wendla poked her head out from behind my skirt and looked shyly at Otto. After realizing who he was she ran out and gave him a big hug. He picked her up, "My, you're getting big." He said. I smiled. Wendla was actually quite comfortable around Otto and Georg, mainly because they were some of Melchior's good friends.

"How was the trip to Berlin?" I asked politely.

"Fantastic , the army just initiated some new initiatives a few weeks ago so it was very good to finally learn about what they've been doing." Georg answered.

"After they're done we won't have to worry about those faggots anymore." Otto said half to me and half to Wendla.

"Language," Georg warned Otto.

"It's not like she's gonna remember it. Will you?" Wendla shook her head. Suddenly the actual language set into my head.

"Wait, what exactly are these initiatives?" I asked a bit concerned.

"Nothing to worry about, Celeste; the army is just cleaning up some of the social trash around Germany."

"Such as?"

"Gypsies, rouges, homosexuals, you know, the criminal type." Otto said paying more attention to Wendla than the actual conversation.

"Germany will be better for it in the end." Georg said, "We'll be rid of those kind of people."

"You mean people like Ilse?" I said as calmly as I could.

"Ilse chose to leave a perfectly good life here to become a criminal," Otto said finally looking at me. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I smiled.

"Well, I'm sure you boys will do a fine job of cleaning up Germany," I said through a fake smile. Otto put Wendla back down on the ground. I took her hand and after saying goodbye to Otto and Georg I began walking back home. I thought I heard more footsteps behind me but as I turned to look I saw no one.

Wendla and I arrived back home. I could tell she was about to fall asleep as she began dragging her feet. I set down my sewing basket in the front hall and picked her up. She did nothing but slump in my arms and rested her head against my shoulder. I dressed her for bed and put her to sleep before returning back downstairs to join Melchior.

Melchior was sitting at his desk in the study looking over students' papers. I sat down on the couch in the living room and gave out a sigh of relief.

"Long day?" He asked not looking up from his papers.

"The sooner this wedding comes the sooner I don't have to deal with Frau Robel." I said lying down on the couch.

"Frau Robel?" He said putting down one of the papers, "I thought it was Amalie getting married."

"It is, but you know Frau Robel and how…." I searched my brain for the right word.

"Argumentative? Uncompromising? Brusque? Abrasive she can be?" Melchior offered.

"Yes, all of that… Plus some," I heard Melchior chuckle. He walked over to me and kissed me on my forehead.

"It'll be alright," I nodded, "You should get some sleep then." I nodded again and forced myself to get up off of the couch. We made it half way up the stairs before I heard a knock at the door, "Who on earth could be out at this hour?" Melchior said looking at his pocket watch that his father had given him.

"I'm not sure," I paused to think who it could be, "You go on upstairs, I'll check."

"No, I'm staying right here." I rolled my eyes and pushed past him. When I opened the door I saw a small boy standing there. He couldn't have been more than ten years old at the time. He had dark curly hair that looked familiar and his blue eyes stared at me with an intense fire that I had not ever seen in a young child. He was dressed in white homespun cloth, the bottoms of his pants were dusted with a fine coat of dirt but he looked clean enough. On his feet he wore leather flats of some kind and carried a small leather bag across his back.

"Are you Celeste Chanson?" He asked rather abruptly.

"Formerly, yes. Why do you ask?" I said cautiously.

"My name is Adam, my father said that you could help us."

"Us?" I questioned. The boy named Adam motioned down the road. I heard a flurry of footsteps and hushed voices before two men stood in my doorway. One was a bit taller than me. He had black hair and blue eyes. His features were soft but thin. The other one was very tall with bright blond hair that glowed like the sun. They were dressed similarly to the boy. I did not recognize them at first but the second I looked into the blond one's eyes I knew. Only one person had those amber eyes.

"Hello Celeste," Hanschen said.

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Well! I do so hope that you enjoyed that first chapter... I've wanted to do this story for so long and I'm so glad that it can finally become a reality. PLEASE OH PLEASE OH PLEASE REVIEW GOOD PEOPLE! PLEASE!


	2. His Story

CHAPTER TWO! Hope you guys like it... only one chapter was up and already three alerts. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Sry I couldnt upload earlier. I'm crazy overbooked, but because THe Decent is such a terrifying movie, I couldnt sleep. SO HERE YOU GO! ENJOY!

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Hanschen's POV

I loved August in Priapia. It was warm, no wind, and no changes. I opened my eyes to the inside of Ernst's and my tent. It still looked basically the same as when we had moved in almost a little over eleven years ago when we had first come to this place. The singular room was simple. Large rugs covered the dirt floor to keep the heat in; off to one side there was a fire pit for the winter when it got cold. Near one other side of the tent was our bed, Ernst's and mine. On the other side near the door was a piano that Padinsky managed to salvage for me. It was simple, but to Ernst and me it was home.

I heard movement coming from the pallet next to our bed. I peered over Ernst, who was still sleeping, to see what I saw every morning; a mass of white blankets over the richly colored pallet. One foot would appear from under the blankets cautiously then would disappear once again after testing the morning temperature.

"Ngggg," said the blankets. I laughed a little bit; it was the same every morning. I got out of bed quietly so as not to wake Ernst and started a fire. The faint smell of the camp fire began to permeate the room. But since we had come here it was a smell that we had grown used to, it meant home. As soon as I got the fire up I heard movement coming from the pallet again. I turned around to see Adam sitting up in his bed. He rubbed his eyes and looked around for a minute before diving back under the covers.

"You know, you're not going to be able to get back to sleep," I said stoking the fire a bit more. The only response that Adam managed to offer was a tired groan. Adam was ten years old, due to be eleven in December. He had grown up so much. He had blue eyes like Celeste that will always remind me of her, but he had Melchior's hair and facial structure. He was a good kid… most of the time… other times he was a complete pain in the ass. But Ernst and I loved him anyways. He was extremely headstrong, like Melchior, and would not budge on anything once his mind had been made up; he had always been like that. When he was little, around 18 months, he spent three full days trying to walk and he did not stop until he got it. Ernst and I had to take shifts sleeping because he would not sleep that entire time. This had been the same when he learned how to talk, how to read music, how to write, everything. He never stopped; an admirable quality in such a young kid. Soon I felt the shift of blanket next to me as Adam sat down next to me, the blanket wrapped tightly around his body, "Told you," I said when he sat down.

"What's for breakfast?" He asked in a groggy voice. I put a small thin cloth bag of spices into a pot of now boiling water. The smell of cinnamon and nutmeg filled the room as the tea brewed.

"Well I was actually hoping that you would go get something from Frau Ilse's tent, considering I haven't been into town since last week." By town I did not mean my former home. Since we came to Priapia we had to get food somehow. I usually played piano in a bar in the next town over. Sometimes Ernst would do sermons. We did whatever we had to do to get money. But at the mention of Ilse's tent Adam shook his head rapidly. Ilse had given birth do a little girl a few years ago named Eva and since she could walk she would follow Adam around like a puppy. It annoyed him, but it also kept him busy.

"Can't you get Father to do it?" He groaned in annoyance. At that mention Ernst rolled over in our bed and sat up very quickly.

"Huh? Whu? What's going on?" He said frantically letting his eyes adjust to the morning light.

"Morning," I said walking over to him and kissing him quickly.

"Father," Adam whined, "Papa was going to make me go over to Frau Ilse's tent! Do I have to?" Ernst gave me an accusing look of sarcasm. Every time I told Adam he had to do something that he didn't want to do, Ernst was the one who got the whining end of the argument. I shrugged and smiled at him. Ernst got out of bed and walked over to the fire, grabbing a shirt from a nearby open suitcase and pulling it over his head.

"No, I'll go," he said kissing Adam's head. Ernst, for that matter, had grown up a lot too. He was still that young boy I fell in love with, but he had finally grown into his personality and was willing to share it with the world. But there were nights, there always were, when we would both have to leave the tent and talk. Ernst still had moral qualms about our situation and I think he always would, but we wanted Adam to grow up as "normally" as possible. He was a stubborn kid, we knew this, and if he knew what the world outside of Priapia thought about us…. Well we just didn't want to explain it to him, not yet, when he was still so young and full of wonder of the world. Ernst knelt down beside me, "Padinsky and the others are came back late last night," he said in a quiet voice, "Ilse said that she wants us at the meeting today." I nodded and looked at him.

Padinsky and a few others had gone into town a couple of nights ago, to find out what was happening in the other world where humans weren't as forgiving. Just as I started to think about things, the Bohemian Queen herself paraded through the door like an overgrown peacock with her small daughter in tow. Isle had married Padinsky not long after Ernst and me and with that marriage she transformed from the runaway princess of Priapia into the equivalent of its queen.

"Good morning boys!" She said in an all too cheery voice considering how early in the morning it was. Eva rushed over to Adam and basically tackled him to the ground with a hug. She was four and a half years old, her black hair was pulled back into a messy braid that reached down to her waist and her warm brown eyes were filled with joy at the sight of Adam.

"Hello Adam!" She said to him practically sitting on his lap. Adam tried to get up off of the ground as the force of Eva's hug knocked him clear onto his back.

"Eva, get off of me," Eva obediently obliged and got off of his lap for a split second before sitting right next to him. Adam rolled his eyes and gave me a pleading look, I laughed.

"We were just on our way over to see you, Ilse," Ernst said politely. Ilse plopped herself down in front of the fire next to Adam and Eva, she pulled Eva into her lap and set a basket down.

"Well I thought I would come over here this morning," She opened the basket and pulled a bundle of cloth out; as she opened it Eva went to make a quick swipe for one of the sweet rolls. Ilse grabbed her hand before she could get to them though, "Eva, manners," she said calmly. Eva slowly retracted her hand, but just as Ilse let her guard down she grabbed one and got off of Ilse's lap, "Eva!" She said in a half scolding, half amused manner. Eva looked at her mother then walked over to Adam where she quietly placed the roll onto his lap before running back to Ilse.

"Adam, what do you say?" Ernst said in a warning tone. Adam looked at me and rolled his eyes.

"Thank you, Eva" he said. Ilse offered me and Ernst rolls. We both took them and ate them as slowly as we could; it was not very often that we had such indulgent food.

"Ilse, where did you get these?" I said warily, she gave me a trickster smile.

"I liberated them," She said with a smug attitude.

"Ilse, liberated them?" Ernst said not taking a bite of his yet. I didn't much care where the rolls came from; it was good food that we did not get often.

"Ok, I took them," She said smiling as she broke up the one that Eva was trying to eat into smaller pieces.

"Stole them," Ernst said softly rolling his eyes.

"Who cares? They're warm, they're sweet, they're free, shut up and eat," I said calmly taking another bite. Ernst rolled his eyes at me but took a bite regardless. They tasted light, sweet, the way a good roll should taste. It was so much better than the crude bread that we often had to make to stay alive. Adam licked the butter from his fingers as I poured the tea from the pot into the cups. I watched the group in our tent eat breakfast together and I smiled. It was times like this when I was glad that I had left my old home, it told me that this was my home now, and it was meant to be.

After we finished our breakfast Ernst, Ilse, and I all had to go back to Ilse's tent, where all of the meetings were held. It was the biggest tent and still looked the same as when Ernst and I had come here, when we first met Padinsky. It was lined with brightly colored rugs across the dirt floor, pillows with the same bright pallet, a tarp hung in the same corner to mark off a bed room area. The only addition was the small pallet on the floor where I knew that Eva slept.

Although today the tent looked very different. Instead of the colorful open space that it usually was each nook and cranny of the tent was filled to the brim with the colony leaders. Men and women sat on the floor, on cushions, on the bed, or just simply stood. Whatever news the party had brought, it must be big. It was not common, even in Priapia, that women, aside from Ilse of course, even attended meetings. For the first time that day, fear settled into my heart. A fear that hadn't hit me since the day I left home, and that was more than ten years ago.

Padinsky entered the tent; he had not aged very much and still held that terrifying presence in the camp. Well to any outsider he would have been akin to Death himself. We frequently told new comers that when he was a kid he knocked a man's head clean off his shoulders with one punch. Although it usually scares the crap out of the new ones, I don't think they ever stop believing it. Do I believe it? You bet I do. I had known Padinsky for years, but there were still aspects of his personality that were still frightening, even to me.

"Listen up!" He said in that booming voice of his, "Everybody, quiet! Quiet down now!" A hush fell over the crown. I studied Padinsky's face, he seemed worried, almost distraught, and I was frightened all the more because of it, "Now I'm sure you're all wondering why I've asked you all here." Another murmur of words came from the crowd of people, "many of you may know that recently a few of the other men and myself went on a large scouting trip to Berlin, but many of you do not know why. " He took a deep breath and looked at his people, at us. He took a deep breath and looked at our confused and mesmerized faces, "The main reason that we went to Berlin was to get information on all those rumors we have been hearing in over in the town. You know that there has been talk about the German Army sending soldiers into small towns and the countryside to 'clean up'." He paused again; I could see the tears brimming in his eyes. I held my breath, "Unfortunately, these rumors, as we have found, are true."

"Hanschen, what is he saying," Ernst said looking at me with a puzzled face as his hand found mine.

"I'm not sure," I said gripping his hand tightly.

"People! People, please! I know that this is your home, and I know that we are all family. But we have to face facts, the longer we stay here, the more we are all put at risk." The crowd was silent and on edge. Padinsky scratched his chin, "I have talked with other members of our scouting trip and we all agree. The best course of action would be to leave Priapia." Suddenly cries of outrage erupted from the crowd. Ernst squeezed my hand even tighter.

"You want us to run?" one man shouted.

"I'm not leaving!" said another.

"I am not a coward!" said a woman

"LISTEN!" he said bringing the tent once more to silence, "I know that you're scared. We all are, but we must think not of ourselves, but for each other. If the guards find Priapia, they find all of us, and our chance for survival is extremely low for that. But if we must split up so that we may live to see another day, than we will. If we must hide, we will hide. Not because we're are cowards, but because we are brave. We may be afraid . . . but we are not cowards." He said. People sat in silence mulling over what Padinsky had said, "We will stay for one last meal, then go our separate ways until we can meet again. This is not the end of Priapia," he said pulling Ilse close, "it is only the beginning of a more inspired future."

Later that day, Ernst and I had begun loading things into our old leather suitcases. I ran my hands over the piano in our tent and sat down. Adam sat on his pallet in silence. This was the only life he had ever known. He was more afraid than us, I think. Ernst was packing Adams clothing into an old leather bag we had. We had been in silence since that morning. Even only a few hours had passed, it seemed like ages ago that we were smiling and laughing over rolls by the fire.

"Where are we going to go?" Adam asked not looking at either of us. I looked at Ernst.

"Where can we go?" Ernst asked me with pleading blue eyes. I sat in silent thought. I wished that there was someone, anyone, who could help us. I wish I still had- and then it hit me. Celeste. We had not seen her in years, but I knew that if there was one place where we could go and be safe it would be with her.

"Celeste," I said quietly, "Celeste!" I said walking over to Ernst, "we could go to her."

"Hanschen, what if she doesn't remember us? What if she isn't even there?" Ernst said calmly with a hint of sadness.

"She'll be there. I know it." I said confidently, "If we can find Celeste we can be safe."

"Who's Celeste?" Adam asked with questioning eyes. I froze. Adam did not know that he was not our son. He did not know how children came into this world or how un-normal our life really was in Priapia. Despite what my guts told me to do, I did not tell him who Celeste was compared to him.

"She is one of our old friends, and she will help us." I looked into Ernst's sad eyes, "I know she will help us."

The fire that night danced with an intensity I would not soon forget. We ate in sad silence and as the meal came to a close we said tearful goodbyes to friends and these people who had become our true family. Eva ran up to Adam and hugged him tightly, tears in her big green eyes. Ilse ran frantically through the crowd calling her name before she spied us. I saw her silently breathe a sigh of relief as she and Padinsky approached us. We looked at eachother for a brief moment before she flung her arms around Ernst and started crying. I patted her shoulder.

"It's going to be okay Ilse," I said, she looked at me with teary eyes, "I promise you." She nodded and hugged me as well. Padinsky looked at us both.

"You best be off boys," He touched Ilse's shoulder tenderly, "We all best be off. We'll find you again once it's safe to send out word." I nodded bravely. Ilse had to practically pry Eva off of Adam before we parted ways one final time. As they disappeared into the forest, my last glimpse of them was Eva's green eyes reflecting with fire light as part of our lives disappeared into the uncertain and unknowing darkness.

That was the last time I saw or heard of Padinsky, Eva, and… Ilse. They never sent word and I have not seen them since that night. I never knew what became of them. But in my mind I still wonder if they are out there looking for us. I know part of my heart will always be looking for them.

Not too long after, Ernst and I were crouched down behind a bush. It was the first time that I had seen my old town in over ten years. I saw a young woman walking down the street, holding the hand of a small child while a basket hung loosely on her arm. Then suddenly, up the road came two young men. Ernst, Adam and I sat in complete silence as we listened to their conversation.

"Good evening, Celeste," The tall one offered. I stared in awe, this young woman with a child hiding behind her skirt, was Celeste. Our Celeste.

"Good evening Georg, Otto," she said with a curt nod. I couldn't believe that these two soldiers, our new enemies, had once been my classmates. Otto was the first of the two to see the small child hiding behind her skirt; he knelt down to her level so she could see him better.

"Is that Miss Wendla hiding back there?" the small child called Wendla poked her head out from behind the skirt and looked shyly at Otto. After realizing who he was she ran out and gave him a big hug. He picked her up, "My, you're getting big." He said. She smiled.

"How was the trip to Berlin?" Celeste asked politely.

"Fantastic , the army just initiated some new initiatives a few weeks ago so it was very good to finally learn about what they've been doing." Georg answered.

"After they're done we won't have to worry about those faggots anymore." Otto said half to me and half to Wendla. I gritted my teeth together at the mention of that word

"Language," Georg warned Otto.

"It's not like she's gonna remember it. Will you?" Wendla shook her head.

"Wait, what exactly are these initiatives?" Celeste asked a bit concerned.

"Nothing to worry about, Celeste; the army is just cleaning up some of the social trash around Germany."

"Such as?"

"Gypsies, rouges, homosexuals, you know, the criminal type." Otto said paying more attention to Wendla than the actual conversation.

"Germany will be better for it in the end." Georg said, "We'll be rid of those kind of people."

"You mean people like Ilse?" she said as calmly as she could. A part of my heart ached at the sound of that name.

"Ilse chose to leave a perfectly good life here to become a criminal," Otto said finally looking at Celeste. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I wanted to jump out of those bushes and kill Otto and Georg right then and there. But I didn't.

"Well, I'm sure you boys will do a fine job of cleaning up Germany," Celeste said, I could tell something was bothering her. She was never very good at keeping her emotions hidden. She bid my two classmates goodnight and began walking back down the street. Ernst, Adam and I followed her from the bushes as quietly as we could.

I saw her go into Gabor's house and then I knew who the father of that child was. Adam was the first to run out from the bushes to knock on the door. Nobody in the town knew him, so it was safe enough. Celeste opened the door.

"Are you Celeste Chanson?" he asked. She looked at him surprised.

"Formerly, yes. Why do you ask?"

"My name is Adam, my father said that you could help us."

"Us?" She asked in a confused tone. Adam motioned to us from the porch. Ernst and I quickly and quietly ran to the doorway. As we came closer to the light I saw my friend's face for the first time in over ten years. I paused and looked at her straight in those blue eyes of hers and smiled.

"Hello, Celeste," I said.

"Hanschen?" She said slightly stunned. I enveloped her in a tight hug she hugged me back and began crying. We both did. I knew now that we would be safe. She was the only person in the world I could trust.

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My only question is... WHAT WILL MELCHIOR THINK ABOUT THIS! HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM? Well we'll save that for next time. But in the mean time REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!


	3. Friendship

So I am a terrible person for not uploading on a uniform basis. But I got distracted by Glee, and then some other things came up, but then I got my wisdom teeth pulled yesterday so now I'm sitting on the couch writing all day. BUT HERE YOU GO AFTER WAY TOO MUCH TIME I GIVE YOU CHAPTER THREE! I'm kinda writing this as ideas come to me. I'm like JK Rowling, I got the beggining in my brain, snippets of conversation, and the ending, but all the middle part is floating in the abyss of my imagination. enjoy

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Celeste's POV

I fell against the door frame to keep my body from toppling from the ground. It was as if I had seen a ghost, a being long dead gone but not forgotten. All I could was put my hand over my agape mouth. There were several moments of deep silence on my part; mere moments seemed like hours as I gazed back into those familiar hazel eyes. As soon as I regained my composure I flung myself at my two long lost friends, happy tears flowing from my eyes like rain water, pure and full of emotion. I felt the familiar warm hands on my back. Suddenly I felt as though I was fifteen again, embracing my friends as we left for Priapia.

But even in this surge of happiness I could still feel the heavy stares of Melchior and Adam piercing my back. Melchior knew why Ernst and Hanschen had disappeared, I had told him, although he was quite unaware as to why they had returned; and on his doorstep no less. Adam on the other hand, I could tell, was painfully and hopelessly confused. As far as I knew, he did not know about me, or Melchior, or about everything that had happened before him. Priapia was the only life he knew, and his own minds eye Hanschen and Ernst _were_ his parents.

Melchior cleared his throat, "Celeste?" He asked in a confused manner. I turned around rapidly to face him. The look on his face was a mix of confusion and slight anger. I knew Melchior was not one to get jealous, about anything, but there was something in his eyes that I could not detect. It was not sadness, joy, or anything recognizable, "What's. . . ?" he did not finish his sentence. Adam, to my surprise, was the first to break the silence.

"Herr Gabor, may we come in please?" he said in a very confident manner for such a young boy. Melchior turned his attention to the boy. He looked him over, the flashes of familiarity flashing onto his face, but just as soon as it was there it died. Melchior did not answer but merely stepped aside as the small child walked confidently into the room. It was then that I got my first good look at him. He was about the same size as Moritz, maybe an inch or two taller, which I found strange for a ten year old, he must have gotten that from me. He had Melchior's face structure; they had the same strong cheek bones and chin. But the rest of his features were softer, more like me, he had my blue eyes; the same ones I recall watching as they lay closed in a wicker crib all those years ago and the ones that held child like happiness when Ernst had held him as a small child. Those small hands that had once reached out to Hanschen had grown bigger; I watched them dance over the wood tables as he looked around the room. He was like some little angel, a memory from a dream.

Hanschen and Ernst also came into the room but did not travel further than the main hallway. Melchior stood in their way of going further into the house. I knew Melchior didn't trust Hanschen, they didn't get along in school, and don't think that they ever would have trusted each other. They were just too different in too many ways. But Melchior was one to celebrate the innocence of youth, no matter how fleeting youth was in his eyes, so he let Adam pass. As for Ernst I was not entirely sure why Melchior had blocked him. I knew Melchior wasn't religious, though I made the children get baptized and go to church, so I was confused as to what prejudice he could hold against sweet, innocent Ernst.

I looked at my two friends, they had not aged much. Ernst had grown into his body and was not nearly as clumsy and lanky looking as before. His pale skin had a reddish glow from being in the sun. The silver rosary that Hanschen had got him so many years ago for Christmas hung around his neck, what was once brightly shining now was only a glimmer as the silver had tarnished over the years. Hanschen looked different to me. His once confident and burning eyes looked tired, worn out, like life had been sucked out of them. He was worried, I could tell; they both were. It was as if they had just escaped a fate. . . . worse than death. And then it hit me. I grabbed their hands and led them into the living room, past Melchior. It was such a childish gesture, like a small child dragging their friend through the open fields to show them the new flowers that they found. I led them to the couch and had them sit down. Adam was in some corner of the room looking at the fire place. Melchior stood at the doorway. I gave him a pleading look; he begrudgingly came into the room and sat down in one of the loveseats in the corner. The shadow hid his face like he was a spirit, a ghost, a thing of air and darkness who was only there to observe and not to speak. I sat down on the coffee table in front of the couch looking at my friends with a smile. But when I saw that they were not smiling back my own happy expression fell.

"Why are you here?" I asked. We had been in silence for too long. Ernst grabbed Hanschen's hand.

"We need a place to stay." Ernst said with as much confidence as he could.

"We need a place to hide," Hanschen clarified, he was not one for sugar coating situations.

"What happened to Priapia?" Hanschen sighed and got up from the couch, I could tell that there was a lot on his mind.

"Padinsky came back to Priapia yesterday with a scouting team. They- they when to Berlin, to find out news. . . He. . . he thought it would be better if. . . if we all split up." Ernst said writhing his hands together like a nervous, guilty child. I glanced over his shoulder at Hanschen who was standing by the window peaking through the curtains at the street as if something was coming to get them, "If they had found Priapia. . . we don't know what might have happened. We had to protect our family."

"I don't understand," Melchior said not moving from his chair. He had not spoken for some time and the sound of his voice was a shock to all of our systems.

"That's a first," Hanschen said bitterly from the window not turning to look at Melchior, "I thought you knew everything, Gabor," He said, his hazel eyes glowering at Melchior. I could feel the tension in the room thicken.

"Well care to inform me, Rilow?" Melchior said with fake politeness leaning forward clasping his hands together. His green eyes watched Hanschen cautiously as if he was going to pull out a gun and shoot me.

"Your wonderful Kaiser," Hanschen started as if he had an unpleasant taste in his mouth.

"Your Kaiser too, Rilow," Melchior corrected him.

"I wouldn't be led by such an ass," Hanschen said harshly to Melchior.

"Language!" Ernst said, though Adam had barely noticed that there was even a conversation going on.

"The Kaiser and his wonderfully psychotic army have instated some new initiatives. Bohemians are apparently no longer allowed to be alive. To him we're not even human. If any of us are even seen they are allowed to kill us on the spot. We're no better than dogs in their eyes." Melchior sad there to think it over, suddenly his green eyes looked over at me.

"Did you know about this?" He asked me, "About the army?" I paused and nodded.

"Ilse and her family had to leave too," Ernst said looking at Melchior, he knew that they were friends in a past childhood and they had grown very close. Melchior's eyes fell to the ground saddened.

"Ilse has. . . a family?" he asked not tearing his eyes from the ground. I stared wide eyed at Ernst. He nodded and smiled a sad smile.

"She was married a couple years ago, to Padinsky. They have a little girl now, Eva. She's four and half years old." He said smiling sadly, "We don't know where they went, but even they had to run somewhere."

"The point is we need to stay here." Hanschen said looking at me as if Melchior had no say in what happened. I looked at him once more with pleading eyes. There was a long pause. Melchior stood up and took my hand.

"May we have a moment?" He asked. Hanschen went to say something but Ernst cut him off.

"Of course." I followed him into the next room.

Hanschen's POV

I watched them walk into the kitchen together. In my eagerness to get somewhere safe with someone I knew we could trust I had forgotten all about Celeste's Sir Lancelot, the most perfect husband Melchior. He didn't trust me and I didn't trust him. As much as we had competed against each other in school, this was different. I couldn't help but feel inferior. We were in his house, asking for his help (though I kept telling myself that I was asking Celeste and not him), and to top it all off I watched my own son walk around this house with wonder in his eyes. He wasn't even my son and at that moment I felt a pang of jealousy in my soul.

My eyes fell on my beloved Ernst, who was still sitting on the couch, had let his eyes fall from the kitchen door. I knew he was worried. I wished at the moment I could have been more like him; humble and willing to ask for help from Melchior. But then I saw something that I knew he didn't do much, especially in front of Adam, he was crying. Adam wandered over from the fireplace where he was inspecting a small photograph of Celeste as a young bride, a day I sadly missed, to comfort Ernst.

"Father? Father, are you alright?" He said resting a small hand on Ernst's clasped ones. I quickly ran to his side. Ernst sniffled and stopped crying as best as he could and looked at Adam's big blue eyes. At that moment blue mirrored blue as it had done so many times, but it wasn't the same, not in this house. Not here. This was not our home and it would have been foolish of me to say it was at that moment.

"I'm fine, Adam," Ernst said clasping Adam's small hands between his own. I realized how much Ernst had grown, in some ways he was still that little child that I completely fell in love with all those years ago, and yet in other ways he was a man. He was always there for Adam and me. He was the glue that kept us together. Adam and I were both very headstrong. There were times that I couldn't handle Adam's stubborn tendencies but Ernst always handled any of our family situations with poise and patience, two things I will honestly say that I lacked. I could stand up for the big things, but Ernst, Ernst stood up for the little things and that's what kept us together in the end I think. I don't know what I would have done with him. I put my hand on his shoulder and turned him to lean on my open shoulder which he gladly accepted.

"Shhh, it's going to be alright," I said even thought I didn't truly know how things would turn out at the moment. I gave a nod to Adam and he knew that I needed to talk to Ernst by myself, "What's wrong?" I asked in a low voice as soon as Adam skittered off to the main hallway. Ernst didn't look at me but instead kept his head in my shoulder. He mumbled something between sniffles, I laughed a little bit, and although I knew how strong he could be I knew that there were times when he was still just a little kind, "Come on Ernst, you're acting like a child, I can't hear you." I said slightly teasing. He looked at me with puffy red and blue eyes that popped against his white porcelain skin.

"What if they don't take us Hanschen? Where would we go? We can't let them get to Adam!" He grabbed my hand and looked at me, "and I can't let them get to you." He turned his head downwards a bit but I put a finger under his chin and carefully forced him to look up at me. I smiled as best as I could at that moment.

"Nothing is coming to get me Ernst, no soldier, or army, or boogey man, is ever going to take me away from you." I kissed his sweetly and he gladly accepted. I realized how much had changed in the past few hours. Twelve hours ago we were all sitting by the fire in our tent, with Ilse and Eva laughing over sweet rolls and tea in Priapia, now things were just. . . different. And I knew it was going to take some getting used to.

Celeste's POV

I pulled Melchior into the kitchen and shut the door behind us. He didn't look at me, just at the door, like any moment the room would explode and would wake up the children.

"Celeste, what are they doing here?" He asked pointing to the door.

"What do you mean what are they doing here? They just told you!" I said in a stern harsh voice.

"I mean why _here?_ Why _our_ house?" He said desperately.

"Because, Melchior, they need someone that they can trust. Someone `` I started touching his arm, "Someone like you." Melchior turned away from me to face the window over our kitchen sink. He paused for a long moment.

"Celeste, you know I don't-"

"Get along with Hanschen? I know, I don't even know if you ever got along with Ernst, but that's not what I'm asking from you."

"You can't expect me-"

"What if it was us?" I asked leaning against the kitchen table. Melchior grasped the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Celeste-"

"No tell me, what if it was us out there? What if it was our lives at stake? Wendla's life? Moritz's life?"

"Celeste stop!" He said in a low voice. I had only heard him use that tone with me a few times when he was specifically passionate about something. It was dark, and menacing, and it scared me, "Don't you think that that's what I'm worried about? If we do take these, there people-"

"My friends," I said crossing my arms.

"Celeste, listen to me!" I sat down at the kitchen table and listened as best as I could without talking, "If we do let them stay here haven't you thought about what would happen if they're caught? The army would get out family too. If we let them stay here we put our own family in trouble, have you ever thought of that?" He said in a hushed, harsh tone. I hadn't thought of that. It had been ten years since I had seen Hanschen and Ernst and I had let my own eagerness to see them, to keep them close, I had forgotten about my own loves, my Wendla and my Moritz. I put my hand to my head.

"I don't know what to do, Melchi," I sighed, "I haven't seen them in ten years. I miss them. And they have nowhere else to go." Melchior sat down and rubbed my shoulder. We sat in silence for a long time but he was the first to break the silence.

"Well, there's always the attic?" I looked at him in surprise, there was a smile on his face, "I know how much they mean to you. If Moritz," He chuckled a bit, "My Moritz, not ours, showed up on the front porch with a kid, I would have done the same thing." I flung my arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you," I whispered into his ear, "We'll tell the kids tomorrow." I said. He nodded and took my hand to lead me back into the room where Hanschen and Ernst were awaiting our answer.

Hanschen's POV

I heard the door to the kitchen open not long after and soon Celeste and Melchior were standing in front of us, their hands clasped to each other's. I took Ernst's hand and stood up to face them as well. Melchior looked us over; I could tell he was slightly uncomfortable with the whole. . . situation. With us. But much to my surprise he was the first one to speak.

"We understand that you need a place to stay," he started out, "But we need you to realize that we also have our own children to worry about." It then hit me that he and Celeste must have other children besides the small girl named Wendla which we had seen earlier that night. I felt my heart fall a bit. I thought that they were going to kick us out.

"However," Celeste started with a smile on her face, "For the longest amount of time, you were my family too. And who would we be to turn away family. You may stay in the attic. I'm not entirely sure how this will work out. But we'll try to make things work as best as we can." She said with that comforting smile. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that we were going to be safe. For the time being, we were going to be safe.

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I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I get an idea cause right now my mouth is killing me and I require some vicodin to ease it. But just to prove that I love you I finished majority of this chapter today, so if some parts dont make senes blame the medication. But I love you all and now I'm sitting in pain with an akward ice pack wrapped around my head. I kinda channeled a bit of the Klaine and Kurtofsky fics I've been reading into the parts with Hanschen and Ernst. . . Oh Glee why have you taken over everything I hold dear to my heart


	4. Togetherness

I know, I know. I'm a horrid person for not updating in a more efficient manner. But on the bright side: I finally have a free block at school! So here's the deal: I will try and update every two weeks on a tuesday. Glee is on on tuesdays so that should keep me in check. At least its not an obscure day like... thursdays... thursdays are obscure... ENJOY CHAPTER FOUR!

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Hanschen POV

The next morning I awoke not to a fresh breeze or warm sun, but to musty air and cold shadows. What had once been an airy cot was now an old mattress lined with dust on an iron frame. Ernst's body was huddled close to mine, not that I didn't mind of course, I usually woke up to this, but that was mainly because he wanted to be close to me. This morning however was because the bed was too small to fit both of us comfortably. I took a deep breath as I sat up in the bed. My lungs didn't fill with the cool breeze of a Priapia morning. Instead I couldn't help but feel like I was inhaling a lot of dead skin and dust bunnies. I coughed and Ernst rolled over with a groan.

I looked around the dusty attic. While I was happy to know that we were all safe my heart sank at the fact that we weren't home and we probably wouldn't be home for a while. There were trunks and boxes all over the place. Melchior and I had stacked them up into large piles to make sure that there was enough room for us to move around a bit. It was a little difficult to do considering that every time I put a box down 'a little too roughly' I got scolded by Melchior for being too loud. I am not five fucking years old, damn it, I shouldn't have to be told to be quiet. I didn't speak that whole night for fear of waking up Celeste's children, which was a weird thought at the time.

I could smell the slightest hint of bread wafting up from the kitchen two flights of stairs below my feet. My stomach grumbled. God, how I wanted to just walk down those stairs and have something to eat. I stopped myself however; I had promised Celeste and Melchior that we would stay in the attic until it was relatively safe to walk around the house. I looked over at Ernst. His face slept peacefully, he wrinkled his nose anytime any dust got relatively near him, like a sixth sense. I decided not to wake him and busied myself with looking around the dusty old room.

The wall that we were closest to had one, small, circular, window. The light trickled through the grime covered glass and caught onto any dust swirling around in the air. It looked almost like snow. I might have even called it pretty if I could get over the fact that it was dust. Sure we had dirt in Priapia, but dirt wasn't dust. Dirt came from the Earth, it was natural. It brushed over the sands of time and was always there. It became the soil that grew trees. Dust on the other hand invaded all things that were meant to be forgotten. It came from dead skin and forgotten memories. It became the grime on our past lives that clouds the mind and urges it to fall into the deep sleep of forgetfulness. Dirt was beautiful. Dust was not.

I crept over small pallet of throw pillows that was Adam to get to the window. I took the sleeve and rubbed at the yellowing glass. My white sleeve was now covered in grey dust. I made a disgusted face and peered out the window. I could see the street below. The dirt road of my childhood; the one I had walked so many times before. I could see the grass along the edges that continued past the row of houses across the street to the meadow I knew lay just behind it. Through the meadow ran a small stream that wove through the birch trees and into a clearing. I knew that Priapia was just beyond that small clearing and my heart ached. I rested my head against the window and closed my eyes. Some remote part of my brain thought that if I kept it there the glass would melt away and I would just fly away, back home.

The creaking metal of the bed stirred me from my thoughts. My eyes snapped open but I didn't move my head from its spot. I heard Ernst stifle a sneeze as best he could, it sounded like a squeak. I felt the floorboards creak as he walked towards me. It wasn't long before I felt his warm hand on my shoulder. It forced me to face him. His smile was sad, as if he knew what I was thinking. I knew that he missed Priapia, too. I took his hand and placed it over my heart; a gesture that we both did when neither of us could talk or had nothing more to say. Ernst looked at where I had placed his hand and smiled sadly before coming close to rest his head on my. I felt him take a shaky, silent breath before he placed a loving kiss on my shoulder. I held him close as we slowly rocked back and forth to the imaginary music.

"I miss them," He whispered. I nodded and didn't let go.

"I miss them, too, Ernst. But we're safe here," I stopped rocking and lifted my head slightly to look at Adam who was still under the blankets. Ernst felt my gaze change and unwrapped himself from my arms to look at Adam as well. I saw his sad smile.

"He's going to go insane being cooped up here," Ernst said quietly, "He's never going to get used to it." I sighed. It was probably true. Ernst and I, we were used to being cooped up, hidden from the sun and life, being jammed into a confessional booth of our town's paranoia and need to exorcise a demon that wasn't even there. Our childhoods were void of passion, of living for the sake of life. Adam on the other hand, passion was all he knew. He had been raised in the open spaces of Priapia under bright blue sky and clean, white tents. He didn't know the days of the week, only that every seven days the crowd gathered to listen to Ernst. He didn't know how to read words, only music. Words were for speaking, he had told me once, music is for reading. His holidays were the days that the pagans danced around the fire and sang music to the gods. His daily lessons were not Latin and Greek, papers and books; they were which way the river flows, what trees bore the best fruit, and how to listen to the earth. He was a Bohemian child. We were not. His lungs breathed fresh air and happiness; ours were scared with dust and crosses. I looked back out the window and shook my head, wondering if I would ever feel warm sunlight without the barrier of a window or feel the comfort of black and white keys beneath my fingers. I hadn't felt like this since I left Amalie.

My heart almost fell over when I thought of her. Not only had I left Priapia, my home, but I had not seen my little sister in almost twelve years. I wondered what she must look like now. My brain struggled to remember what she had looked like when I left; when she was still untouched by hurt or pain. She had been young when I left, five, almost six. She would be around seventeen now if my brain was working correctly. She must have been through so much. She grew up without me; she grew up probably hounded by my mother and father to be what I couldn't.

Celeste's POV

I pulled the bread out of the oven and set it on the counter to cool. Melchior sat at the table looking through papers. He was so focused and I knew not to disturb him. Moritz had his nose buried in his book. I knew not to disturb him either, well at least for a while. Wendla had just woken up and was sitting on the floor playing with a doll. Occasionally she would look up at the celling. The house was quiet only the noise of the eggs frying in the pan, the scratching of pen on paper and the turning of pages could be heard. When the bread was cool enough I began cutting into it. I put a plate of bread and eggs in front of my two children and Melchior.

"Put the book down, Moritz," Said grabbing it out of his hand. I stooped down to pick Wendla up from the floor and sat her on my lap as I tried to feed her. She was three, but I'll be damned if she wasn't stubborn as hell to learn how to eat by herself.

"Mama!" Moritz groaned when I took the book out of his hand. Melchior did not look up from the paper he was grading but chuckled to himself.

"Food, you have school today" I said pointing to his plate, he slumped in his chair but took up the fork and began to eat. I tried to get Wendla to have a bite of egg, but she kept turning her face to the celling as if she was looking for something, "Wendla, eat something," I asked her. She took a bite of the egg but didn't tear her eyes away. Melchior looked up.

"What are you looking at, süße?" he asked her. Wendla just pointed to the celling.

"I heard little elves last night," She said, Melchior and I looked at each other, "they were walking up there. I want to see if they come down." Moritz laughed a little bit.

"They're not elves, Wendla, they're rats," She squealed in disgust and turned to bury her head in my chest.  
"You're lying!" She said pointing at him, "its elves right, Mama?" I looked down at her and smiled as best I could.

"Something like that, doux, something like that." I kissed the top of her head and began feeding her again. I stole a quick glance at Melchior who was looking at me with concern. Moritz finished his breakfast and went to go grab at his book, "Go get ready for school," I said just as he swiped it from the counter.

"Ok!" he called as he ran up the stairs. I put Wendla back down on the floor and kissed the top of her head. Melchior was packing up when he pulled me aside.

"We have to tell them at some point," He said looking at me, "I don't want them believing that we have elves living in our attic. Although Moritz's assumption that they were rats seemed fairly accurate," I hit him on the arm.

"Must you be so childish?" I asked him as he rubbed his arm, "They're my friends, and I planned on introducing them to Wendla today, she has to stay with me anyway," Melchior nodded and kissed my forehead.

"Moritz!" He called upstairs.

"Coming!" Moritz yelled back down. I heard the metronome of feet pounding against the wood floor. Today was Moritz's first day of school. His primary education was something that Melchior and I prized. He was a smart boy and we both knew it. He was reading books far beyond his age level and could memorize passages by the age of five. I had started him out with the bible, much to Melchior's dismay, and it just took off from there. He rushed past me, book bag in hand. I quickly grabbed his shoulder to give him a once over before. I knelt down to fix his tie and wrinkled my nose in disgust. I _hated_ the idea of uniforms. It took away everything that made the kids special, it made them like walking zombie masses forced to indulge on the same education that had fed our generation, not matter how much the world had changed since then. Melchior hated the uniforms, too, but he knew better than to complain to Herr Sonnenstich, who had been promoted to headmaster a few years after my return to that small farming town. We both knew that we lived our lives with color, and these black and white uniforms did not suit any of us, particularly my dear Moritz. I combed his hair down before giving him a kiss on the forehead.

"Be good today," I said. He groaned and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Mama! That's gross!" He said as he dry scrubbed his forehead. Melchior chuckled and put a nudging hand on his back.

"Come on, Moritz, we need to go. I'm sure your Mama will have a surprise for you when you get back," He said looking at me seriously. I knew what that look meant. That was his 'you better figure out a way to explain everything by the time we get home' look of disapproval. I simply smiled at him and rushed them out the door.

"Is it a new book?" I heard Moritz ask as they began walking down the street towards the school house.

"More like a new friend," Melchior said carefully. I watched them walk down the street and smiled. Suddenly I felt a tug on my skirt; I looked down and saw Wendla.

"Mama, the rats aren't going to get me, are they?" She asked blinking her large green eyes at me. I smiled and picked her up.

"No, doux," I said walking back into the kitchen to make a second round of breakfast for said little elves, or rats.

"I heard Papa tell Moritz that we were getting a new friend today!" She said excitedly as she played on the floor with the doll. I stopped and looked at Wendla. It's not a very easy thing to tell your three year old daughter that there are strangers living in the attic. I knelt down beside her.

"We're getting three new friends today," I said sitting down on the floor with her, "Two for your father and I and one for you and Moritz."

"But I don't want to share!" She complained. I laughed.

"But you have to share!" I said fixing her hair, "Do you want to meet them?" I asked. She fervently nodded her head.

"They're already here?" She asked in an astonished voice. I smiled and nodded. I almost got up to leave when an idea crossed my mind.

"Wendla, you can't tell anyone they're here, do you understand me?" I said very seriously. She nodded.

"Like how I can't tell Frau Robel that you think she's a pewbird, poison flitch?" She said carefully. I knew she had meant to say putrid, poisonous bitch, but I was actually quite happy that she couldn't pronounce those words.

"Exactly," I said with a smile, "Wait here and I'll go get them. They haven't eaten yet," She nodded and picked up her dolls again. I smiled as I ascended the stair case.

Hanschen's POV

I sat on the creaking bed and watched the sun swirl the dirt in the air. Adam was awake by now and was quietly digging through an old box of something. He pulled out an old book.

"Papa? What's this?" He said sitting next to me on the bed. I looked at it. It was the Anead, in Latin. I hadn't seen this book since my school days. I laughed a little bit.

"All you need to know is that this book probably one of the worst to read, ever," He smiled at me with a small quiet laugh. Suddenly we heard creaking from below. The door to the attic opened and we all visibly stiffened. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw Celeste's head pop up through the small square opening in the floor.

"Sleep well?" She asked with that quirky smile on her face. I couldn't help but be happy to be reminded that our family, Ernst, Celeste and I, was finally back together again. The balloon of happiness was soon popped when I heard Adam sneeze due to the thick amount of dust in here. Celeste frowned.

"It's just a little dusty," I said. Hearing our voices in the same room sounded weird. She nodded.

"I'll come up and help clean in a while," Adam's stomach grumbled audibly. He clutched it trying to silence the noise. Celeste smiled again. Her smile was so beautiful. In our absent years I had forgotten that, "You must be hungry," She said motioning for us to follow her back down the ladder.

When we reached the kitchen I saw that all of the curtains had been closed, sunlight shut out of the room like a virus. I was looking around when I felt a pair of small arms encircling my leg in a tight hug. I looked down to see a small girl, around the same age as Eva I supposed.

"Hello there," I said in a more astonished voice than I originally meant.

"Are there more elves in the attic or is it just you three?" She asked me quite politely. I looked over at Celeste. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest and was smiling.

"She heard you three walking around last night, she thought you were elves. Moritz thought you were rats."

"Moritz?" Ernst said surprised. Celeste's mouth formed an 'o' shape.

"Oh no, no, no, no," She said in a rushed manner, "Not that Moritz, my Moritz. Wendla's older brother."

"Wendla?" I said just as surprised.

"Yes?" The little girl, Wendla said. Adam was half hidden behind Ernst's thin frame. he peered around with a curious look on his face. Wendla saw him and rushed to give him a hug as well. Adam lifted his arms in the air as if to fly away so he wouldn't have to touch her.

"Ah!" He said in half disgust.

"Nice to meet you too!" Wendla said. Celeste put down a couple plates on the table.

"Sit down and eat," She said retrieving more food. Wendla sat down next to Adam who eyed her cautiously. I looked at the two of them and smiled. Though they didn't know it, this was the first time one of Celeste's children and Adam had had any contact. It was touching, in the weird sort of awkward family sort of way.

"You speak very well," Ernst said smiling at Wendla.

"Wendla, what do you say?" Celeste asked her. Wendla was far too busy watching Adam stuff his face with eggs.

"What?" She said without looking at Celeste.

"Wendla," The little girl looked over.

"Whaaaaat?"

"What do you say to Ernst?"

"Thank you," She said with a bashful smile. Adam finished his food and rushed over to the small piano Celeste had in the next room. I was relieved that he wasn't going for some priceless family heirloom of Celeste's, I didn't want him to break anything of hers. If he broke something of Melchior's that would be another story, though.

"He plays?" She asked resting her hands on the table as she watched Adam finger the keys. I nodded.

"He can only read music," I said taking another bite of food.

"You haven't taught him how to read?" Ernst shook his head.

"We haven't exactly had the best resources ever. Music was the only thing that he really ever needed to know."

"And now?" she said with a concerned look on her face. I shrugged.

"We don't know what to prepare for anymore," I said a bit dishearteningly. She drummed her fingers on the table as she watched Adam play a small song I had taught him last week. We sat in silence listening to Adam for a while. I let my gaze drift back to Wendla, "How old are you?" I asked her politely. She looked at me shyly. She had Melchior's eyes.

"I'm three," She said quietly, "Moritz is at school today. He's seven." I remembered the ramble days from Adam. You ask kids one question and they answer another.

"Seven," I said looking back at Celeste, "Your son is seven." She nodded with a smile.

"He reads a lot. I can't get him to take his nose out of his books long enough to get him to eat most of the time. First day of school today."

"Do they still wear those awful uniforms?" I asked. Celeste laughed and nodded her head.

"Although he wears them much more effectively than you ever did, Hanschen," It felt weird to hear my name rolling off of her tongue again. I heard small footsteps as Wendla quietly got off of her chair and walked over to sit beside Adam at the piano. He looked over and took her small hand and placed it on the keys, teaching her a small tune. I felt a pang of guilt rush through me. I had done the same with Amalie when she was little. Amalie….

"How is Amalie?" I asked Celeste suddenly. Her eyes searched mine for any other type of emotion.

"She's getting married soon," She said quietly with a smile. I looked down and smiled as well, "She's grown up to be such a beautiful young woman, Hanschen," I looked back up.

"Who?"

"Maxamilian Deibvonleibe," she said with a smile, "He's such a good kid." Ernst looked at me and grabbed my hand. I didn't particularly enjoy hearing about the Deibvonliebe family, not after what had almost happened all those years ago. And then it hit me; Thea, Martha, Anna, Otto, Georg, Robert… what had happened to all of them?

"We have a lot of catching up to do," I said settling down further into my seat. Celeste smiled with a little laugh. Ernst rolled his eyes once he figured out what I was thinking.

"This should take a while," he said as he too relaxed in his seat. It was good knowing that we were all back together again.

* * *

Please please PLEASE review! I worked on this instead of homework! YOU SHOULD FEEL SOOOOOOO LOVED! NOW GIVE SOME OF THAT LOVE BACK!


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